Salvage work vehicle

ABSTRACT

A salvage work vehicle having attachment means to provide propulsive engagement with large salvage pontoons is disclosed. The attachment of vehicle and pontoon is accomplished by means of a vacuum attachment coupler.

United States Patent Odum et al.

[54] SALVAGE WORK VEHICLE [72] Inventors: William T. ()dum, Panama;James H. Elkinn, Lynn Haven; Thomas M. Cogglngs, Panama City, all ofFla.

[73] Assignee: The United States of America as represented by theSecretary of the Navy [22] Filed: April 7, 1971 211 Appl. Nb; 132,032

[52] US. Cl. ..1l4/16.8, 61/69 R [51] Int. Cl ..B63g 8/24 [58] Field ofSearch....ll4/l6 E, 16.7, 16.8; 6l/69R 1 Nov. 14, 1972 [5 6] ReferencesCited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,625,171 12/1971Bailey.......................l14/l6.8 3,635,183 1/1972 Keatinge ..114/16 R Primary Examiner-Trygve M. Blix Attomey-Richard S. Sciascia, DonD. Doty and William T. Skeer ABSTRACT A salvage work vehicle havingattachment means to provide propulsive engagement with large salvagepontoons is disclosed. The attachment of vehicle and pontoon isaccomplished by means of a vacuum attachment coupler.

IOCIainBJDraWingLY SALVAGE WORK VEHICLE STATEMENT OF GOVERNMENT INTERESTThe invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or forthe Government of the United States of America for governmental purposeswithout the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION The invention disclosed herein isa component part of a salvage system, another component of which isdisclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,665,509, for Underwater ElectricalConnector, by James H. Elkins, filed Mar. 22, 1971.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention pertains to the submarine vehicleart. More particularly, the invention pertains to a deep sea manned workvehicle for salvage operations. In still greater particularity, theinvention pertains to a manned deep sea work vehicle having couplingmeans to permit towing attachment to salvage pontoons, or other objectloads, of considerable mass, and having propulsive capabilitiessufiicient to maneuver said pontoons into position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART Existing vehicles used in underwatersalvage operations have no attachment capabilities sufficient to provideattachment or maneuvering ability to position large objects in the 100to 500 ton displacement range. Although many vehicles of the prior arthaving operational capabilities of operating at depths in excess of 300meters, none have coupling means to support massive loads or movingmassive cables with lifting capabilities sufficient to raise heavy loadsfrom the ocean floor.

Previously salvage items of such bulk were raised to the ocean surfaceby a plurality of small lifting pontoons. The problems of positioningand controlling of great numbers the prior art pontoons required forheavy lifts has limited the depths at which salvage may be successfullyaccomplished and the size of loads which may be recovered.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention provides a deep sea submarinesalvage vehicle with an attachment means having sufficient strength tosupport very large loads for positioning and maneuvering. Thisattachment means employs a vacuum attachment device which cooperateswith a flat surface on the object to be gripped thereby such that it isheld in place by the hydrostatic pressure associated with the oceandepth at which the object is submerged. Large size propulsion motors areprovided to move both the vehicle and the attached load.

With the foregoing description in mind, it is an object of thisinvention to provide an improved salvage work vehicle.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved objectattaching means for submarine vehicles.

A further object of this invention is to provide a salvage work vehiclewith an improved coupling means.

A further object of this invention is to provide a submarine vehicleimproved propulsion means.

Another object of this invention is to provide a salvage work vehiclehaving vacuum operated coupling means for attaching objects to said workvehicle.

Another object of this invention is to provide a salvage work vehiclewith steerable motor propulsion units having sufficient power to moveboth the salvage work vehicle and loads attached thereto.

A further object of this invention is to provide a salvage work vehiclehaving a hydrostatic vacuum coupling means for the attachment ofsuitable loads thereto and propulsion means for maneuvering the workvehicle together with the attached load in relation to a predeterminedlocation underwater.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages will be readilyappreciated as the subject invention becomes better understood byreference to the following detailed description, when considered inconjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is an elevational view showingthe environment in which the salvage vessel of the invention is used;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the deep submergence salvage workvehicle of the invention; and

FIG. 3 is a sectional view through the hydrostatic vacuum couplerportion of the deep submergence salvage work vehicle of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to FIG. 1, a load,such as a sunken ship 1 l, to be raised is shown as resting on the seabottom. A salvage pontoon 12 is attached thereto by suitable arms 13. Adeep submergence salvage work vehicle 14 is attached to each end ofpontoon 12 for positioning thereof relative to ship 12 prior to theattachment of arms 13 thereto. Deep submergence vehicle 14 has anexternal manipulator arm 15 which is used to assist in attaching arms 13to ship 11, implanting connector plug 17, and for other purposes. Whenpontoon 12 is positioned in cooperative relation to ship 11, deepsubmergence vehicles 14 may separate therefrom and maneuverindependently.

An electrical conductor 16 is lowered from the sea surface or a nearbycontrol box and has a connector plug 17 secured to the distal endthereof. As will be understood by those familiar with salvageoperations, plug 17 is grasped by arm 15 and inserted into a receptacle18, which is mounted on pontoon 12.

Attachment of the deep submergence salvage work vehicles to salvagepontoon 12 is accomplished by means of a suitable vacuum or hydrostaticcoupler 19. Couplers 19 cooperate with a substantially flat portion 20on each end of salvage pontoon 12 to attach salvage vehicles 14 thereto.If desired, the salvage vehicles 14 may be interconnected so thatcontrol thereof may be exercised from a single vehicle. This controlinterconnection may be accomplished by a fixed wire communication linkwithin salvage pontoon 12, or, if desired, by an acoustic wave, i.e.,sonar-like, communication link through the water. Both of thesearrangements may be incorporated, one serving as a back-up system forthe other, if desired. The exact nature and functioning of the controlsystem has no direct bearing to the present invention and, since priorart systems capable of providing the communication link are well known,the selection of a suitable system is left to the choice of the skilledworker making and using the invention.

Referring to FIG. 2, salvage vehicle 14 is shown detached from pontoon12. As may be seen, the spherical cabin 21 is surmounted by a hatch 22and a cylindrical passageway, through which entry to salvage 14 isobtained. Hatch 22 and the cylindrical passageway may, if desired, haveviewing ports, not shown, therein for the purpose of affording theoccupants a view of the upper surrounding environment. Other viewingports, such as port 23, may be provided in the wall of spherical cabin21 at desired positions, as is conventional in the deep submergencevehicle construction arts.

A cylindrical buoyancy chamber 24 is fitted about the upper portion ofsalvage vehicle 14. Although extending circumferentially about theentire upper portion of vehicle 14, portions thereof are relieved aroundthe viewing ports, such as shown in FIG. 2 around viewing port 23, so asnot to obstruct vision therethrough. Buoyancy chamber 24 is aconventional arrangement in the deep submergence vehicle art. Aplurality of lead discs, not shown, of approximately cm in diameter and50 mm thickness are releasably held in vertical tubes within buoyancychamber 24. Floodable ballast tanks, not shown, but also containedwithin buoyancy chamber 24, provide fine adjustment of the overallbuoyancy of salvage vehicle 14. The selective filling and evacuating ofthe floodable ballast tanks obtain neutral buoyancy and small departurestherefrom for salvage vehicle 14.

Suitable propulsion motors 25 comprising an electrical motor drivenscrew or marine propeller, are located on opposite sides of salvagevehicle 14 on a common mounting axis. Propulsion motors 25 arerotatable, as indicated by the double headed arrows 26, about theirmounting axis in such a manner as to provide propulsive force for ascentand descent as well as fore and aft motion. Propulsion motors 25 are ofsuch high power ratings, approximately forty horsepower each, that abattery supply of a size sufficient to furnish the electrical powertherefor is too large to house within cabin 21. Accordingly, a suitablebattery supply is housed in a battery compartment 27 external to cabin21 and attached to the lower portion thereof.

Battery compartment 27 need not be pressurized as cabin 21 must be, butmay be at ambient pressure. The batteries contained therein, not shown,are immersed in a suitable insulating oil. Direct contact with theambient sea water may, nonetheless, be avoided by the use of a waterimpervious but flexible and pressure transmitting membrane or wall. Sucharrangements will be familiar to persons versed in the deep submergencevehicle arts and, accordingly, need not be further described tounderstand the invention.

A suitable thruster unit 28 is also housed in battery compartment 27.Thruster unit 28 may, like propulsion motors 25, comprise an electricmotor driven screw. Unlike propulsion motors 25, thruster unit 28 isfixed in relation to salvage vehicle 14 and provides thrust at rightangles to that provided by motors 25. Although not as powerful aspropulsion motors 25, which must overcome buoyancy forces, thrusterunits 28 operating in each salvage vehicle 14, at opposite ends ofsalvage pontoon 12, produce sufficient thrust to effect transversemovements of the entire massive combination.

An electroacoustic transducer 29 extends from the lower surface ofbattery housing 27. Transducer 29 may be a component part of a sonarsystem used in navigation of salvage vehicle 14, or it may be acomponent part of a compressional wave communication system. In somearrangements, it may serve both of the aforesaid functions, as desired.It should also be noted that electroacoustic transducer 29 may be housedwithin suitable acoustically transparent housing means, if desired.

Referring now to FIG. 3, the structural details of coupler 19 will bediscussed. As may be seen, coupler 19 comprises an outwardly extendingbarrel portion 31. A gasket 32 extends outwardly from the outer end ofbarrel 31. The innermost end of barrel 31 is closed by the wall of cabin21 of salvage vehicle 14. A conduit 33 communicates with the insidevolume of barrel 31 and is operatively connected to a reversible pump34. Barrel 31 and gasket 32 cooperate with a complementary surface onpontoon 12. However, additional cooperat ing surfaces may be placed onsalvage vehicles 14, if desired. This permits two or more salvagevehicles 14 to be joined together in such a manner as to work in tandumwhere more thrust is required.

Reversible pump 34 may be of any suitable type, so long as it is capableof delivering the required pressures and has suitable power consumptionrequirements. A number of such pumps are available and selection amongthem is regarded as within the scope of a proficient worker. Reversiblepump 34 is located within the confines of battery compartment 27 forprotection purposes. Another suitable fluid conduit 35 connectsreversible pump 34 with the free-flooded portion of battery compartment27.

The operation of reversible pump 34 is controlled from within cabin 21of salvage vehicle 14 by means of suitable electrical conductors 36. Thepenetration of the wall of cabin 21 by circuit connection is made byconventional watertight feed-through means 37 to preserve the watertightintegrity of cabin 21. The control circuitary, not shown, of pump 34 isconventional and may, if desired, include pressure sensing control meansto activate pump 34 to pump out any small leaks which might occur,without attention by the crew of salvage vehicle 14. The circuit may be,simply, a current reversing switch in the power mains to pump 34.

Within the upper portion of barrel 31 and communicating with theinterior thereof, an expansion chamber 38 is located. A small pocket ofair, or other suitable gas, is entrapped therein. This chamber preventssmall leaks which might occur around gasket 32 from reducing thepressure within barrel 31 by providing a volume into which the water mayflow. Expansion chamber 38 need have only a relatively small volume,since the seal of gasket 32 with its mating surface is very good andleaks therethrough are of quite small volume and well within thecapabilities of pump 34. Although shown as enclosed within the wall ofbarrel 31, expansion chamber 38 may be disposed elsewhere on vehicle 14as long as fluid communication is maintained with the chamber formed bybarrel 31.

MODE OF OPERATION While the foregoing description will enable a personversed in the art to make and use the invention, the invention will bemore fully understood with reference to the following description of themode of operation.

Salvage pontoon 12 is placed in the water separately from the salvagevehicle 14, but may remain lashed or otherwise secured to a suitablesurface 11 work platform, such as a salvage barge, for example. Salvagevehicle 14 is manned by a crew of two who enter cabin 21 by means ofhatch 22 prior to the placement thereof into the water. By means ofpropulsion motors 25 and thruster unit 28, the crew maneuvers vehicle 14to salvage pontoon 12 and positions it relative thereto in such a manneras to bring coupler 19 into cooperative engagement therewith. Coupler 19is pressed against the cooperating portion of pontoon 12 to seat gasket32 thereagainst. Pump 34 is then started in such a manner as to reducethe pressure in the interior space of barrel 31 by extracting, orattempting to extract, water therefrom. Those familiar withhydrodynamics and fluidics will recognize that only a small amount ofwater need be extracted to reduce the pressure therein a considerableamount. This pressure reduction forces the salvage work vehicle tobecome firmly attached to salvage pontoon 12.

A second salvage vehicle 14 is launched and, following the sameprocedure, attaches itself to the other end of salvage pontoon 12.Salvage pontoon 12, which is self-regulating to maintain neutralbuoyancy, is then set free from the surface work platform.

The crew within work vehicles 14 rotate propulsion motors to develop thedesired propulsion thrusts, including ascent and descent, to bringpontoon 12 into the desired working relation with the object to beraised, such as ship 11, for example. As previously noted, the controlof both work vehicles 14 may be ef fected from a single vehicle by meansof suitable fixed wire or water-borne communication links.

When pontoon 12 is in the desired position, at least I one of thevehicles 14, under direction of its crew, releases itself from pontoon12. This release is accomplished by reversing the operational direction,so as to pump water into barrel 31 until the ambient pressure is reachedor slightly exceeded.

The remaining work vehicle 14 may remain attached to pontoon 12 toprovide stability therefor during the separation operation and to makeminor positional corrections thereto thereafter.

Conductor 16 is then lowered from the surface or moved from a nearbycentral control box, when more than one pontoon is used, with connector17 attached thereto. Connector 17 is grasped by manipulator of theseparated work vehicle 14 and placed in receptacle 18. Work vehicle 14then, by means of manipulator 15, assists in placing arms 13 incooperative engagement with ship 12 where they are attached undercontrol from the surface, via electrical conductor 16.

This operation secures pontoon 12 to ship 11. The remaining salvagevehicle 14 may now separate from pontoon 12 and assist the first infurther securing of pontoon 12 to ship 11, if required. When pontoon 12is made fast to ship 11, work vehicles 14 may return to the surface foran additional salvage pontoon 11, or may simply take a safe positionnearby and monitor the raising operation which proceeds under thecontrol of surface workers.

Obviously, other embodiments and modifications of the subject inventionwill readily come to the mind of one skilled in the art having thebenefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing description and thedrawings. It is, therefore, to be understood that this invention is notto be limited thereto and that said modifications and embodiments areintended to be included within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed:

1. A deep submergence salvage work vehicle to be used incombination-with a salvage pontoon or other object comprising incombination:

cabin means for enclosing operating personnel therein;

buoyancy chamber means attached to the upper por tion of said cabinmeans for providing neutral buoyancy therefore;

propulsion means attached to said cabin means and relatively movablewith respect thereto for moving said salvage work vehicle;

battery compartment means attached to the lower portion of said cabinmeans and extending downwardly therefrom for containing electrical powersupplies therewithin;

thruster means mounted in said battery compartment means and fixedlydirected with respect thereto for moving said salvage work vehicle indirections at right angles to said propulsion; and

coupling means attached to said cabin means and extending outwardlytherefrom so as to extend beyond said buoyancy chamber means forattaching an object thereto.

2. A deep submergence salvage work vehicle according to claim 1 in whichsaid cabin means is of a spherical shape.

3. A deep submergence salvage work vehicle according to claim 1 in whichsaid propulsion means comprise a plurality of electric motor drivenpropellers for producing propulsion forces, said motor driven propellersbeing rotatable about an axis, so as to direct their propulsive forcesin a desired direction.

4. A deep submergence salvage work vehicle according to claim 1 in whichsaid coupling means includes a hollow cylindrical body portion.

5. A deep submergence salvage work vehicle according to claim 4 in whichsaid coupling means further includes a gasket means attached to theoutermost end of said hollow cylindrical body portion and extendingcircumferentially thereabout, for effecting a watertight seal betweensaid body portion and said object attached thereto.

6. A deep submergence salvage work vehicle according to claim 5, furthercomprising an expansion chamber means enclosed within a wall of saidhollow cylindrical body portion and in fluid communication therewith, soas to provide vacuum retention therein in the event of leakage.

7. A deep submergence salvage work vehicle according to claim 6 furthercomprising pressure alteration means effectively connected to theinterior of said hollow cylindrical body portion for the selectivereduction of pressure therewithin.

8. A deep submergence salvage work vehicle according to claim 7 in whichsaid pressure alteration means includes a reversible electric pump 9. Adeep submergence salvage work vehicle according to claim 8 wherein saidpump is located within said battery compartment and communicates withthe interior of said hollow cylindrical body portion by a fluid conduitconnected therebetween.

10. A deep submergence work vehicle for use in transporting a largeobject attached thereto to a predetermined location within an underwaterenvironment comprising in combination:

cabin means for housing crew and controls and for providing protectiontherefor;

buoyancy chamber means attached to said cabin means for providing apredetermined buoyancy therefor;

propulsion means attached to said cabin means and relatively movablewith respect thereto for moving said deep submergence work vehicle in apredetermined manner within said underwater environment;

battery compartment means attached to said cabin means for containingelectrical power supplies therewithin;

thruster means effectively connected to said cabin means and directedwith respect thereto for moving said deep submergence work vehicle indirections at right angles to said propulsion means;

cylindrical wall means attached to said cabin means in such manner as tohave one of the ends thereof closed thereby and extending outwardlytherefrom for effecting a hydraulic chamber therewithin;

gasket means attached to said cylindrical wall means at the other endthereof and extending circumferentially thereabout for effecting awatertight seal between said cylindrical wall means and the aforesaidobject when pressed thereagainst in such manner as to close saidhydraulic chamber;

releasable pump means efiectively connected between the hydraulicchamber effected by said cylindrical wall means and said underwaterenvironment for effecting a transfer of water therebetween; and

expansion chamber means disposed in communication with said hydraulicchamber for effecting pressure regulation therewithin.

1. A deep submergence salvage work vehicle to be used in combinationwith a salvage pontoon or other object comprising in combination: cabinmeans for enclosing operating personnel therein; buoyancy chamber meansattached to the upper portion of said cabin means for providing neutralbuoyancy therefore; propulsion means attached to said cabin means andrelatively movable with respect thereto for moving said salvage workvehicle; battery compartment means attached to the lower portion of saidcabin means and extending downwardly therefrom for containing electricalpower supplies therewithin; thruster means mounted in said batterycompartment means and fixedly directed with respect thereto for movingsaid salvage work vehicle in directions at right angles to saidpropulsion; and coupling means attached to said cabin means andextending outwardly therefrom so as to extend beyond said buoyancychamber means for attaching an object thereto.
 2. A deep submergencesalvage work vehicle according to claim 1 in which said cabin means isof a spherical shape.
 3. A deep submergence salvage work vehicleaccording to claim 1 in which said propulsion means comprise a pluralityof electric motor driven propellers for producing propulsion forces,said motor driven propellers being rotatable about an axis, so as todirect their propulsive forces in a desired direction.
 4. A deepsubmergence salvage work vehicle according to claim 1 in which saidcoupling means includes a hollow cylindrical body portion.
 5. A deepsubmergence salvage work vehicle according to claim 4 in which saidcoupling means further includes a gasket means attached to the outermostend of said hollow cylindrical body portion and extendingcircumferentially thereabout, for effecting a watertight seal betweensaid body portion and said object attached thereto.
 6. A deepsubmergence salvage work vehicle according to claim 5, furthercomprising an expansion chamber means enclosed within a wall of saidhollow cylindrical body portion and in fluid communication therewith, soas to provide vacuum retention therein in the event of leakage.
 7. Adeep submergence salvage work vehicle according to claim 6 furthercomprising pressure alteration means effectively connected to theinterior of said hollow cylindrical body portion for the selectivereduction of pressure therewithin.
 8. A deep submergence salvage workvehicle according to claim 7 in which said pressure alteration meansincludes a reversible electric pump.
 9. A deep submergence salvage workvehicle according to cLaim 8 wherein said pump is located within saidbattery compartment and communicates with the interior of said hollowcylindrical body portion by a fluid conduit connected therebetween. 10.A deep submergence work vehicle for use in transporting a large objectattached thereto to a predetermined location within an underwaterenvironment comprising in combination: cabin means for housing crew andcontrols and for providing protection therefor; buoyancy chamber meansattached to said cabin means for providing a predetermined buoyancytherefor; propulsion means attached to said cabin means and relativelymovable with respect thereto for moving said deep submergence workvehicle in a predetermined manner within said underwater environment;battery compartment means attached to said cabin means for containingelectrical power supplies therewithin; thruster means effectivelyconnected to said cabin means and directed with respect thereto formoving said deep submergence work vehicle in directions at right anglesto said propulsion means; cylindrical wall means attached to said cabinmeans in such manner as to have one of the ends thereof closed therebyand extending outwardly therefrom for effecting a hydraulic chambertherewithin; gasket means attached to said cylindrical wall means at theother end thereof and extending circumferentially thereabout foreffecting a watertight seal between said cylindrical wall means and theaforesaid object when pressed thereagainst in such manner as to closesaid hydraulic chamber; releasable pump means effectively connectedbetween the hydraulic chamber effected by said cylindrical wall meansand said underwater environment for effecting a transfer of watertherebetween; and expansion chamber means disposed in communication withsaid hydraulic chamber for effecting pressure regulation therewithin.